The present invention relates to an apparatus that planes and grinds glass.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,915 issued to Kindig illustrates an apparatus for beveling glass edges. The beveling occurs when the glass is placed upon a planar surface and contacts a grinder wheel assembly having multiple grinding surfaces (elements 78 and 76) which is driven by a first motor. The multiple grinding surfaces are designed to just bevel the glass as illustrated in FIG. 5 of the xe2x80x2915 patent. Moreover, there is just one planar surface in which the glass can be applied to bevel the glass on the grinder wheel.
The apparatus also has a lustering wheel and a polishing wheel, which are driven by a second motor. The lustering and polishing wheels are perpendicular to and below the grinder wheel, and are not adjacent to any work surface, planar or not. In other words, the glass material cannot be applied to any planar surface when these wheels are used.
The apparatus does not have a multi-tiered work surface and a grinder/planar wheel assembly. These elements allow an individual to obtain greater precision of the glass without losing additional work space on the limited space available for such home improvement apparatuses. This apparatus does not have an internal fluid container or hose to release the fluid upon the glass and/or grinding wheel. The present invention solves this problem and many more.
A planar/grinding apparatus comprising a housing, a cylindrical member and a motor is the present invention. The housing has a first planar working surface at a first elevation, a second planar working surface at a second elevation which is greater than the first elevation, and at least one aperture positioned in the first and second planar working surfaces. The cylindrical member projects through the aperture and has at least two abrasive surfaces thereon. The first abrasive surface extends from a third elevation, at least equal to or below the first elevation, to a fourth elevation, above the first elevation and below the second elevation. The second abrasive surface extends from a fifth elevation, at least equal to or below the second elevation and above the fourth elevation, to the sixth elevation, above the second elevation. And the motor rotates the cylindrical member.